Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State for his response. At the heart of this question is the empowerment of consumers to make informed decisions. It is not in any way against imports. We must ensure that I or a housewife, as consumers, know what we are buying. For example, when one goes into a restaurant or into one's local fish shop, SuperValu or Tesco and sees fish on the counter, one does not know whether it is Irish or imported fish. It has been put to me that the busiest fish port in the country is Cork Airport. I am not against imports, but I believe there is a significant opportunity for displacement by Irish fish of high quality.

Does the Minister of State have any plans to pursue a policy similar to that pursued in the beef sector which resulted in the formation of Féile Bia? The Seafood Circle initiative is good as far as it goes but it has only been taken up by around 100 outlets. Is there a way to empower consumers so that they know what they are purchasing? When one goes to a fish shop, one assumes that the fresh fish has been caught in the last couple of days. However, if it has come in from Cork Airport it may have been out of the sea for two or three weeks. That is not fresh fish. Consumers need that information so they can make informed decisions. Does the Minister have any proposals in this area?

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